Eye-shade.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. E. B. THOMSON.

EYE SHADE Witnesses Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST BURSLEM THOMSON, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WALTER MUOKLOW, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

EYE-SHADE.

No. 890,820. I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 16, 1908. Application filed June 6, 1904. Serial No. 211,349.

To all whom it may concern: designed to employ an eye shield formed of a Be it known that I, E. BURSLEM THOMSON, material which will break up or diffuse rays a citizen of the United States, residing at of light, either natural or reflected, without Miami, in the county of Dade and State of change of the color of any of the rays, the

Florida, have invented anew and useful Eyedevice being achromatic in its nature and 60 Shade, of which the following is a specificaserving merely to soften the light and pretion. vent injury to the eye from exposure to the The present invention has for its principal glare. The shield is formed preferably of object to provide an eye shade for rotecting a sheet of wire gauze 1 bent into suitable the eyes from direct or reflected ight rays shape, the mesh being sufficiently fine to 65 A further object of the invention is to proroads, water or sand.

Interfering with the natural sight of the perof any character may be provided to assist arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully desize and minor detailsof the structure may is a front elevation of an eye shielc conwithout in any manner changing the color of the light, the shade or shield being achromatic and serving merely to diffuse the rays and thus soften the light.

break up or diffuse light rays at a point adjacent to the eye, the effect being to soften the light without any change in its color, and without interfering with the natural vision.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the sheet of gauze is curved transversely in order to follow more or less closely the curvature of the lower eyelid, and is mounted on a suitable support, so that it may be held in a substantially horizontal position, projecting forward from the face of the wearer to an extent sufficient to protect the eye from the light rays reflected from snow, water, sand and other similar surfaces, and the forward edge of the shield is arranged so on a curved line, thus protecting the whole of the exposed surface of the eye-ball with the smallest possible weight of material. The rear edge of the shield is arranged on a curved line conforming more or less closely to the facial line below the lower eyelid, so that it will be practically impossible for any reflected rays to pass between the inner edge of the shield and the skin.

In carrying the invention into effect, a shield is provided for each eye and these are supported preferably by a spectacle frame 2 having the usual bridge 3 and temples 4. The spectacle frame may receive lenses of any character necessary to correct defects in the vision of the wearer, but in any case, whether lenses are used or not, the View of the wearer is wholly unobstructed in front and at the side of the wearer, the only 0bstruction being downward, but when used for the purpose intended the glare of the surface will be sufliciently distinct to permit the wearer to observe any obstructions by glancing downward through the wire gauze, and, other conditions being equal, the downward vision through the gauze is nearl if not quite as clear as the unobstructed vision above the gauze. When used in connection with a spectacle frame, the lower edges of the lens supports are secured to the shield at a vide a device of this character in which the light rays are tempered before reaching the eye, and thus prevent injury from the glare of reflective surfaces, such as snow, chalky A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in which the shield is so constructed as to fit closely to the face at a point below the eyes without, however,

son wearing the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an eye shield in connection with a carrier or support to which ordinary lenses the natural vision.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the novel construction and scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 structed in accordance with the invention illustrating the same in position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of the shield on the line 50 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawmgs.

55 In carrying out the present invention it is ofa oint some distance in front of the rear edges of the latter, this of course being more or less dependent on the physical characteristics of the wearer. \Vhen used in other connections, as for instance as an eye shade to be worn above the eyes, the shape will be changed accordingly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is The combination with a supporting frame, pair of shields secured thereto at points removed from their rear ends and below the transverse medial line of the frame, the rear edges of the shields being adapted to conform to the curvature of the face below the lower eyelids, thus to surround only the lower portion of the eyes, the shields being constructed wholly of wire gauze the mesh of which is close enough to'prevent the assage of direct or reflected light rays witfiout interfering with downward vision, and being disposed in a practically horizontal plane whereby forward and.lateral vision will be unobstructed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST BURSLEM THOMSON.

Witnesses MAY ROBINSON, KATHERINE NORTON. 

